Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a portable electronic device and, in particular, to a display mode switching device and method for a portable electronic device that is capable of switching the display mode between a portrait mode and a landscape mode according to a posture or orientation of the portable electronic device.
Description of the Background
Portable electronic devices have recently become increasingly popular due to their advantage in mobility. Typically, a portable electronic device can have an input device for receiving user input and a display device for displaying the input data. The input device can be in the form of a keypad, a touchpad, a touchscreen, and/or a wheel, and the display device can be, for example, a screen associated with an activated application. The display device may be controlled with a key event or touch event input through the input device.
The input device can have predetermined input mechanisms for manipulating basic and supplemental voice and data communication functions of the portable electronic device. For example, a conventional input device may have a set of key buttons or a keypad such that a sequence of keys may be input by pushing the key buttons.
Conventional input devices can, in general, be manufactured using a hard and nonflexible material in a fixed arrangement. A user may thus face some inconveniences and problems when attempting to use the input device at specific orientations or postures of the portable electronic device. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a user-friendly input device that can be adjusted adaptive to the posture of the portable electronic device.